The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-14
4 Sketch Of D. Wyatt Aiken.

|
boro', in Fairfield County, S. C.
March II, 1928, and was therefore in
his 59th year. He was graduated at
the South Carolina College with the
class Of 1949, and after teaching
school lie married Miss Virginia
Smith, sister Of Mr.. w. Joel Smith,
of Abbeville, and settled on the Stony
Point farm in 1852. lie was.a sue.
cessful farmer, the best evidences of
which is furnished in the fact that he
supported comfortably and highly
educated large family of children
from the profits in agriculture. Dur
ing the time that he was farmer he
edited the RmaL Crolinian and the
agricultural department Of the Meas
und Courier.
Soon after the war he bough: a
dwelling in Cokesbury, where lie re-
sided. In 1861 he volunteered as
private in the 7th South Carolina
regiment but was appointed Adjutant
Of the command. At the reorganiza-
ton Of The regiment in the spring Of
1862, Mr.. Aiken was elected to its
command, succeeding Col. Bacon.
In September 1862, while gallantly
commanding his regiment at Harp
er's Ferry, in the battle Of Antietam,
where the Confederate forces won a
most signal victory, Col. Aiken re.
ccived wound through the body,
which was deemed mortal. Being un
able for duty, with no prospect of
ever recovering, lie was discharged
from the service, when he returned
to his family to receive their care and
attention. After a long and painful
illness, he regained somewhat of his
former strength, and the people, ap-
preciating his gallantry in the army,
and needing his services in the Legis-
lature, elected hip to represent them
in that body in 1864. He was again
alactcd to the same trust in 1866, and
in 1867 distinguished himself by his
able and vigorous opposition to tax
measure then before the House, and
which afterwards became law, levy
ing a tax of 10 per cent. on the gross
sales that may have been. made by
whiskey dealers, as we'll as taxing
the gross incomes of hotel keepers
and other business occupations in a
like manner
Col. Aiken was Master of the State
Grange for two years and was prcsi'
dent of the Abboville Agricultural
Society for several years, and under
his management were had some of
the most excellent exhibitions that
were ever seen in any county. He
has always been distinguished for his
pronounced Democratic principles
and was delegate to the National
Convention at St. Louis in 1876,
which nominated Tilden and Hen
bricks for President and Vice-Presi
dent. lie was chosen as the Demo
cratic Congressional standard bearer
in the historic campaign in 1876. In
those days Of darkness and gloom, it
was difficult to get suitable candi,
dates for the different ;offiees. The
Democracy was in such hopeless
minority, and had SO often suffered
defeat that few men cared to be made
targets. The Democratic Club at
Abbeville on the motion Of Hon. A.
Burt, than whom none were more
wise and sagacious, gave Col. Aiken
unanimous call to the position OF
Congressional leader Of the forlorn
hope. This:nomination was sur
prise to Col. Aiken. He had not ex-
pected it, but he really accepted the
position and went to work with ener'
gy and boldness, carrying discom-
future, discouragcmeut and final de-
feat to Chamberlain and his crew.
He was appointed to reply to Cover
ernor Chamberlain at q mass meeting
of citizens on Secession Hill, at Able.
vile, on Big Tuesday. Chamberlain
and his associates abandoned the
canvass after that day and returned
to Columbia by the next train and
never again appeared in public to
discuss State politics.
In 1878 he was reelected over
Stolbrand, the Republican candidate,
by majority of nearly twenty thou
sand votes at the general election.
Col. Aiken was his own successor
ever since, until at the. last election,
owing to ill-health. he laid down the
Congressional duties after having
served his constituency for ten years.
The Negro and the Interstate Commerce
Bill.
IiNdnta Constitution.
Tie New York Herald calls atten.